King's College London's School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, and the Daisy Appeal, a medical diagnostics research charity based in northern England, have launched a new collaboration aimed at advancing molecular imaging research and accelerating the development of new treatments for patients across the UK.
Laying the groundwork for a fuller partnership, the collaboration brings together the Molecular Imaging Research Centre (MIRC) at Castle Hill Hospital, part of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, with the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences in London, creating a powerful regional link between specialist radiopharmaceutical production and cutting-edge research.
Funded through charitable giving, the MIRC is a world-class facility designed to help move scientific discovery closer to patient benefit. It is already supporting research that can improve diagnosis, strengthen clinical trials and widen access to advanced imaging techniques for cancer, heart disease and dementia.
The collaboration with the School, one of the UK's leading medical imaging research teams, based within Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, also opens the door to wider research in cardiac imaging and other areas where radiopharmaceuticals - specialised radioactive drugs developed to track, scan and treat illness - are used to improve understanding of disease and guide treatment.
"This is a world-class facility, built through charity support, with the expertise, equipment and capacity needed to help translate innovative science into patient benefit. There are real advantages for both sides in working together more closely. The MIRC provides access to radiopharmaceuticals that are not being produced in London, creating a unique national research resource. We've already seen people from Hull and London spending time in each other's teams. This collaboration is not just being talked about, it is already happening in practice."
Professor Steve Archibald, Head of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
Professor Nick Stafford, Chair of the Daisy Appeal, said the collaboration reflects the charity's long-term commitment to investing in facilities and research that improve outcomes for patients.
"This is about much more than geography. It is a significant advantage that Hull is only a two-and-a-half-hour train journey from London, making it straightforward for teams to work closely together. But, this collaboration brings together exceptional capability, advanced technology and scientific ambition to deliver real progress for patients."
Professor Nick Stafford, Chair, Daisy Appeal
The collaboration is expected to strengthen the UK's radiopharmaceutical research base and help ensure more patients benefit sooner from scientific innovation.
